Food processing appliance with storable tool support

ABSTRACT

A food processing appliance such as a blender comprises a container ( 22 ) and a base ( 20 ) housing an electric motor for driving the tool support assembly ( 2 ) which comprises a generally conical support ( 15 ) which is open inside and flares out to a enlarge periphral edge part which is removably securable in said opening, the narrow end of the conical support bearing a food processing tool ( 24 ). The motor being housed in a compartment ( 60 ) in the base space up from the bottom, a storage compartment ( 70 ) for storing a tool support assembly ( 2 ) of the defined type when the assembly is nit in use, the storage compartment ( 70 ) having a recess for receiving therein a tool support assembly placed with its enlarge part down and with its narrow end up.

The invention relates to a food processing appliance comprising acontainer removably mounted on a separate base, the container beingassociated with a food processing tool support assembly removablysecured in an opening provided in the bottom of the container, theseparate base housing an electric motor for driving the tool supportassembly.

The appliance is typically a blender, grinder or other food processorhaving a container for example in the form of a jug for preparing foods.

The food processing tool of appliances such as blenders rotates at highspeeds, up to 20 000 rpm. In this kind of appliance the food processingtool is secured to a rotary axle mounted on the container's or jug'sbottom and the container or jug is secured removably on the motor base.

In a known food processing appliance, which is described in WO 00/13563,and which corresponds to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, thetool support assembly comprises a generally conical support which isopen inside and flares out from a narrow end part to an enlarged endpart which is removably securable in the container's opening. A rotaryaxle is mounted axially through the generally-conical support, this axlehaving a first extremity in the enlarged end part of the generallyconical support, which first extremity bears an engaging element able tobe driven by the electric motor when the container is mounted on thebase, and a second extremity at the narrow end part of the generallyconical support, the axle's second extremity bearing a food processingtool. The motor is arranged so that it is coaxial with the tool supportassembly when mounted, the motor being housed in a compartment in thebase spaced up from the bottom of the base, there being a cavity betweenthe motor compartment and the surrounding lateral walls of the base.

Further examples of food processing appliances of similar design, allhaving generally conical tool supports, are described in U.S. Pat. No.5,360,176; FR 1 329 312; FR 1 332 971; FR 1 145 914; DE 1 037 088 and FR2 492 246.

In these appliances, the removability of the conical tool holders isprimarily intended to facilitate washing, due to the fact that thecontainer can be better and easier washed, by hand or in a washingmachine, without the tool support assembly. It is also easier to washthe tool support assembly when it is separated from the container.

It has already been proposed to provide various food processingappliances with a plurality of interchangeable tools which are storedwhen not in use. For instance, EP-A-0 669 095 describes a food processorhaving side-by-side arranged compartments, the processor having in thelower part of its bottom a flat drawer for storing cutting blades ordiscs when these are not in use. A tool storage arrangement like thishas been commercialised by Senur-Europe under the Trademark Arnica.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,827 describes a storage container with a transparentlid specially-designed for storing rotary food processing tools andaccessories. This container is in the form of a separate casket forreceiving two tool blades and their components when dismantled. It isdesigned to be kept separately from the food processor and is notdesigned for generally conical tool supports.

It can readily be appreciated that for appliances having a generallyconical tool holder, in particular those supporting a tool that projectslaterally from the support, there would be a problem in storing a sparetool holder of this type when it is not in use. Usually, the applianceis a blender whose base is no wider than—or only marginally widerthan—the upper container. The conical shape of the tool holder and theprotruding tool mean that the support cannot be stored in appliances ofknown design. As the base houses the tool-driving motor, this leavesinsufficient space for storage of a conical tool support. Also, caremust be taken to leave place for vents and channels for a air flow tocool the electrical motor.

The prior art discussed above offers no solution to this problem. Theuse of an external storage container like in U.S. Pat. 4,733,827, butspecially adapted to the conical tool support would be a possibility, aswould dismantling the tool from the conical support, to facilitatestorage, but both of these expedients involve inconveniences. Flatdrawers like in EP-A-0669095 can only accommodate discs or other flattools, not conical tool supports. JP 09 023985 discloses a blenderhaving a tool storage compartment provided on the side of the motorcompartment.

The aforementioned problem is solved according to the invention byproviding in the bottom of the base a storage compartment speciallydesigned to store a tool support assembly of the defined type when theassembly is not in use.

According to the invention, this storage compartment is configured toreceive a tool support assembly with its enlarged end part facing downand with its narrow end part facing up, the axis of the stored toolsupport assembly being laterally offset from the axis of the motor. Aninnermost-disposed portion of the enlarged end part of a stored toolsupport assembly is located under the motor compartment which has arecess located in its underneath part. This recess forms part of thestorage compartment and is arranged so that when a tool support assemblyis stored in the storage compartment, the generally conical support andits tool are accommodated partly in the recess under the motorcompartment and partly under the peripheral cavity or in the lower partthereof. A movable closure member, such as a drawer or a door, isprovided for allowing access to or closing the storage compartment. Thisclosure member is movable between an open position allowing theinsertion into and the removal from the storage compartment of a toolsupport assembly, and a closed position in which at least a part of theclosure member is flush with adjacent portions of the walls of the base.

In one embodiment, the movable closure member is part of a drawerslidably received in the bottom of the base. A drawer specially-designedfor this purpose comprises a drawer bottom, side walls, a rounded frontwall and an inclined rear wall. The side walls extend up from the drawerbottom and have parallel spaced apart top edge parts, for slidablyengaging in the base. The drawer's rounded front wall extends up from acurved front of the drawer bottom to above these top edge parts of theside walls. The inclined rear wall extends up from the rear of the base,the inclined rear wall having a central portion below the top edge partsof the side walls. The rounded front wall is flush with adjacentportions of the walls of the base when the drawer is pushed in the basein the closed position. The bottom of the drawer is dimensioned to holda tool-support thereon with its enlarged end part placed down, the frontside and back walls of the drawer forming a recess for receiving a toolholder to be stored, allowing a tool support to be inserted and removedwhen the drawer is pulled out of the base to the open position.

The rounded front wall of the drawer can be provided in its upper partwith a central aperture, and the bottom of the base has a projection ora button of a lock which fits in this aperture when the drawer is in theclosed pushed-in position. The drawer's front wall further comprisesunder this aperture a gripping recess, arranged so a user can grip itwhile pushing against said projection to pull the drawer out.

The bottom of the motor compartment may comprise a cage protruding downunder the motor shaft so as to protect the bottom end of the shaft.Preferably this cage is off-centered from the axis, generally behind itin the direction of pushing in the drawer, and is arranged so that whenthe drawer is moved to and from its closed position, the lower centralpart of the drawer's rear wall slides under the cage. The cage canpresents vent openings for the passage of air cooling.

When the tool support carries on its narrow end part a food processingtool comprising at least one arm that projects laterally and upwardlyfrom this narrow end part, the base can have apertures which arespecially arranged for receiving these projections. For example, aportion of the base that receives the upper part of the drawer has acentral downward projection flanked by upwardly-extending apertures,arranged so that when the drawer is pushed in or out the narrow end partof a stored tool support passes under this downward projection whereasthe tool's laterally and upwardly projecting arm(s) pass through theupwardly-extending apertures.

The food processing appliance according to the invention usuallyincludes two tool support assemblies having essentially identicalconical supports, but carrying different tools. For example, the toolsof the two assemblies each have a plurality of laterally-projectingangulated tool arms, the arms of one tool having smooth edges, the armsof the other tool including at least one serrated edge. One type of toolsupport assembly has two pairs of laterally-projecting angulated toolarms in cruciform arrangement, a first pair of opposing arms projectingupwardly from the narrow end part, and a second pair of opposing armsprojecting downwardly from the narrow end part.

Preferably, the tool support assembly is removably attached to thecontainer by locking means actuable to install or remove a tool supportassembly only when the container is removed from the base.

In summary, the invention provides a food processor of the defined typewherein the space in the lower base, which is necessarily confinedbecause it houses the motor, has been astutely redesigned to allowstorage of the relatively voluminous conical tool support and tool, andits easy insertion and removal, without any need to dismantle the toolfrom its conical support, and without any or with only minoroverdimensioning of the base which can retain its traditional outershape. The food processor can thus be sold with two interchangeableconical tool supports and tools, one of which can conveniently be storedin the base when not in use, without a need for a separate storagecontainer.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example,with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of an appliance comprising a removablefood processing tool support system, with the storage drawer removed.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the lower part of the appliance shownat FIG. 1, showing with more details the food processing tool supportremovably mounted in the lower part of the upper container, and showingthe drawer in its storage position with a tool support stored therein.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the food processing tool supportassembly shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the drawer, removed from the base of theappliance.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the appliance shown from the opposite side toFIG. 1, and with the drawer in its pulled-out open position.

The blender shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a motor base 20 includingan electric motor 21, a container or jug 22 with an open top, and also alid 23 to close the container 22, the container 22 being removablymounted on the motor base 20. The container 22 comprises a foodprocessing tool support assembly 2 having a support 15 removably securedin an internal opening 30 provided in the bottom of the container 22,and a rotary axle 19 mounted through the support 15, bearing at one ofits extremities a coupling element 18 able to be driven by the electricmotor 21 when the container 22 is mounted on the base 20 and at itsother narrow extremity 16 a food processing tool 24. The food processingtool 24 comprises two upwardly outward inclined blades 25.

The food processing tool support assembly 2 is maintained against aflange 14 integral with the container 22 by locking means actionable bya control button 3 mounted on the container 22.

The base 20 comprises a coupling element 9 attached to the motor axle 29and able to couple with an engaging element 18 of the axle 19 whichturns within the internal bearing (not shown) of the mentioned assembly2 and upon which the blades 25 which turn with it are attached. Thus,the coupling element 9 and the engaging element 18 form an elasticcoupling sleeve between the motor axle 29 and the support assembly axle19.

The lower part of container 22 comprises an inner skirt 26 surrounded bya flexible belt 11, and an outer skirt 27 with a through openingreceiving the button 3 projecting from the external side of thecontainer 22, for access of the user. The button 3 is near the base ofthe container 22. The button 3 is attached to a rectilinear length ofthe belt 11. The button 3 can be pressed by the user, moving through thementioned opening, however, without unfastening from the container 22. Aring groove 4 is provided on the support 15 (FIG. 3). A lock having alower beveled edge is provided on the belt 11, this lock being housed ingroove 4.

Locking means of the container 22 on the base 20 such as bayonet lockingmeans (not shown) are provided. The base 20 also comprises a stopperable to limit the path of button 3. A further control button 66 isprovided on the base 20 for controlling the motor 21.

The container 22 has all around its lower internal circular opening 30 asurrounding flange 14 which contacts a sealing ring 12 of deformablematerial, provided on the support 15. The ring 12 is pressed by theflange 14 as long as the assembly 2 is correctly installed in thecontainer 22, thus providing an efficient sealing. The flange 14 formsan annular support area receiving the sealing ring 12 of supportassembly 2.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the support assembly 2 outside of thecontainer 22. The support 15 is a round part which is hollow,frustoconical in its upper section, forming an open cavity in its lowersection where the engaging element (not shown in this Figure) is to belocated. The support 15 also presents a base flange 28 with indents toprevent the support to turn within the jug 22. An upwardly opened ringgroove 5 is provided around the support 15. The groove 5 is surroundedby a wall having an upper outer beveled edge, this wall forming theenlarged end part of the support 15. The groove 5 houses the sealingring 12. The ring groove 4 housing the lock (not shown in this Figure)is provided between the groove 5 and base flange 28.

The motor 21 is arranged so that it is coaxial with the tool supportassembly 2 when the latter is mounted, the motor 21 being housed in acompartment 60 in the base 20 spaced up from the bottom of the base 20,there being a cavity 61 between the motor compartment 60 and thesurrounding lateral walls of the base 20.

As so far described, the blender corresponds substantially to that of WO00/13563, which describes in greater detail the arrangement forreleasably securing the support 15 in the container 22 allowing thesupport 15 to be removed and inserted when the container 22 is separatedfrom the base 20, and variations of this arrangement.

According to the invention, the lower part of the base 20 has beenredesigned to provide therein a storage compartment 70 which underliesthe motor compartment 60 and the cavity 61, opening into one side of thebase 20. The motor compartment 60 is spaced up from the bottom of thebase 20 by a wall 63 and rests on a generally horizontal separator 64providing a recess 62 under the motor compartment 60.

The storage compartment 70 is configured to receive a conical toolsupport assembly 2 with its enlarged end part 13 facing down and withits narrow end part 16 facing up. The axis 19 of the stored tool support2 assembly is laterally offset from the axis of the motor 21. Aninnermost-disposed portion of the enlarged end part 13 of a stored toolsupport assembly 2 is located directly under the motor compartment 60 inthe recess 62. This recess 62 forms part of the storage compartment 70and is arranged so that when a tool support 2 assembly is stored in thestorage compartment 70, generally conical support 15 is accommodatedpartly in the recess 62 under the motor compartment 60 and partly underthe peripheral cavity 61. A movable closure member, such as a drawer 71or alternatively a door, is provided for allowing access to or closingthe storage compartment 70. This closure member exemplified by drawer 71is movable between an open position (shown in FIG. 5) allowing theinsertion into and the removal from the storage compartment 70 of a toolsupport assembly 2, and a closed position (shown in FIG. 2) in which afront wall 72 of the drawer 71 is flush with adjacent portions 65 of thewalls of base 20.

This drawer 71 as shown on FIGS. 4 and 5, specially-designed for thispurpose, comprises a flat drawer bottom 73, side walls 74, a roundedfront wall 72 and an inclined rear wall 75. The side walls 74 extend upfrom the bottom 73 and have parallel spaced apart top edge parts 76,which could be integral with the side wails 74 but in this example areon top of separate outer side wall segments 74′, slidably mounted incorresponding recesses in the base 20. The drawer's rounded front wall72 extends up from a curved front edge 77 of the bottom 73 to above thetop edge parts 74 of the side walls. The inclined rear wall 75 extendsup from the rear of the bottom 73, this inclined rear wall having arecessed central portion 78 below the top edge parts 76 of the sidewalls. The drawer's rounded front wall 72 is flush with the adjacentportions 65 of the walls of the base 20 when the drawer is pushed in thebase 20 in the closed position. The bottom 73 of drawer 71 is shaped anddimensioned to hold a tool-support 15 thereon with its enlarged end part16, and in particular its lower base flange 28, placed down, the frontside and back walls of the drawer 71 forming a recess for receiving atool support 15 to be stored, allowing a tool support 15 to be insertedand removed when the drawer 71 is pulled out to the open position, shownin FIG. 5.

The drawer 70 may be locked in closed position by a locking systemcomprising an outside protubering button 80. In particular, the roundedfront wall 72 can be provided in its upper part with an oval centralaperture 79, thru which passes the button 80 which fits in this aperture79 when the drawer 71 is in the closed pushed-in, as shown in FIG. 2.The drawer's front wall 72 further comprises under this aperture 79 agripping recess 81, arranged so a user can grip it while pushing againstsaid unlocking button 80 to release and open the drawer 71 by pulling itout.

The bottom of the motor compartment 60 comprises a cage 85 protrudingdown under the motor compartment 60 so as to protect the bottom end ofthe shaft 29. This cage 85, adjacent the recess 62, is off-centered fromthe axis, behind it in the direction of pushing in the drawer 71, and isarranged so that when the drawer 71 is moved to and from its closedposition, the lower central part 78 of the drawer's rear wall 75 slidesunder the cage 85 as can be best seen on FIG. 2.

This cage 85, together with wall 63 and horizontal separator 64,isolates the motor even when the drawer 71 is removed. This ensureprotection of the user from possible electric shock or from being hurtby moving mechanical parts when said user introduce fingers in thestorage compartment 70.

The motor base rests on small feets to ensure an easy passage of airflow under the base around the drawer when in place. In addition, thereis a first vertical space between the upper wall 63 and inclined rearwall 75 of the drawer, and a second horizontal space between the upperedge of inclined rear wall 75 and horizontal separator 64. More over,the cage 85 presents openings regularly spaced. These spaces andopenings allows the flow of a strong cooling air sucked by cooling fanwhich is part of the coupling element 9. This improves the coolingaction around the stator's and rotor's laminations and windings as wellas around the motor frame, in particular its bearing. This ensure abetter performance and an increased life-span even with the presence ofthe drawer as per the invention.

When the conical tool support 15 carries on its narrow end part a foodprocessing tool 24 comprising at least one arm 25 that projectslaterally and upwardly from this narrow end part, the base 20 can haveapertures 83 which are specially arranged for receiving these projectingarms 25, when the drawer is pushed in. For example, a portion of thebase 20 that receives the upper part of the drawer has a centraldownward projection 82 flanked by sidewardly and upwardly-extendingcurved apertures 83, arranged so that when the drawer 71 is pushed in orout the narrow end part 16 of a stored tool support 15 passes under thisdownward projection 82 whereas the tool's laterally and upwardlyprojecting arm(s) 25 pass through the upwardly-extending curvedapertures 83.

One food processing appliance according to the invention usuallyincludes two interchangeable tool support assemblies 15 havingessentially identical conical supports 15, but carrying different tools24. For example, the tools of the two assemblies each have a pluralityof laterally-projecting angulated tool arms 25, the arms of one toolhaving smooth edges suitable for blending foods, the arms of the othertool including serrated edges, suitable for crushing ice. One particulartype of tool support assembly has two pairs of laterally-projectingangulated tool arms 25 in cruciform arrangement, a first pair ofopposing arms 25 projecting upwardly from the narrow end part 16, and asecond pair of crossing-over opposing arms 25 projecting downwardly fromthe narrow end part 16 (see FIG. 5). When a tool support assembly 15like this is to be stored in the drawer 71, it is arranged as shown inFIG. 5 with the upwardly-projecting arms 25 sideways so they fit in theapertures 83 when the drawer 71 is pushed in, whereas its innerdownwardly projecting arm 25′ fits under the projections 80/82.

Having described some preferred examples, it must be understood that thescope of the present invention covers possible variations, only beinglimited by the scope of the claims which are intended to includepossible equivalents.

We claim:
 1. Food processing appliance comprising a container (22)removably mounted on a separate base (20), the container (22) beingassociated with a food processing tool support assembly (2) removablysecured in an opening (30) provided in the bottom of the container (22),the separate base (20) housing an electric motor (21) for driving thetool support assembly, wherein the tool support assembly (2) comprises agenerally conical support (15) which is open inside and flares out froma narrow end part (16) to an enlarged end part (13) which is removablysecurable in said opening (30), a rotary axle (19) being mounted axiallythrough the generally-conical support (15), said axle having a firstextremity in the enlarged end part (13) of the generally conical support(15), said first extremity bearing an engaging element (18) able to bedriven by the electric motor (21) when the container (22) is mounted onthe base (20), said axle having a second extremity at the narrow endpart (16) of the generally conical support (15), said second extremitybearing a food processing tool (24), the motor (21) being arrangedcoaxially with the tool support assembly (2) when mounted, the motorbeing housed in a compartment (60) in the base (20), there being acavity (61) between the motor compartment (60) and the surroundinglateral walls of the base (20), the base (20) comprising, at its bottom,a storage compartment (70) for storing a tool support assembly (2) ofthe defined type when the assembly is not in use, the storagecompartment (70) being configured to receive therein a tool supportassembly (2) with its enlarged end part (13) facing down and with itsnarrow end part (16) facing up, the axis of the stored tool supportassembly (2) being laterally offset from the axis of the motor (21), amovable closure member (71) being provided for allowing access to orclosing the storage compartment (70), said closure member (71) beingmovable between an open position allowing the insertion into and theremoval from the storage compartment (70) of a tool support assembly(2), and a closed position in which at least a part (72) of the closuremember (71) is flush with adjacent portions of the walls of the base(20), characterized in that the motor compartment (60) is spaced up fromthe bottom of the base (20), a recess (62) being provided under themotor compartment (60), the recess (62) forming part of the storagecompartment (70), the storage compartment (70) underlying the motorcompartment (60) and the cavity (61), the generally-conical support (15)carrying on its narrow end part (16) a food processing tool (24)comprising at least one arm (25) that projects laterally and upwardlyfrom the narrow end part (16), the recess (62) being arranged so thatwhen a tool support assembly (2) is stored in the storage compartment(70), the generally conical support (15) and its tool (24) areaccommodated partly in said recess (62) under the motor compartment (60)and partly under said peripheral cavity (61) or in the lower partthereof, an innermost-disposed portion of the enlarged end part (13) ofthe stored tool support assembly (2) being located under the motorcompartment (60), the base (20) having at least one aperture(s) (83)specially arranged for receiving the projecting arm(s) (25).
 2. Foodprocessing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the movable closuremember is part of a drawer (71) slidably received in the bottom of thebase (20).
 3. Food processing appliance according to claim 2, whereinthe drawer (71) comprises a drawer bottom (73), side walls (74), arounded front wall (72) and an inclined rear wall (75), the side walls(74) extending up from the drawer bottom (73) and having parallel spacedapart top edge parts (76), the rounded front wall (72) extending up froma curved front (77) of the drawer bottom (73) to above said top edgeparts (76), and the inclined rear wall (75) extending up from the rearof the drawer bottom (73), the inclined rear wall (75) having a centralportion (78) below said top edge parts (76), the rounded front wall (72)being flush with adjacent portions of the walls of the base (20) whenthe drawer is pushed in the base in the closed position, the drawerbottom (73) being dimensioned to hold a tool-support (2) thereon withits enlarged end part (13) placed down, the front side and rear walls(72, 74, 75) forming a recess for receiving a tool support assembly (2)to be stored, allowing insertion and removal of a tool support assemblywhen the drawer (71) is pulled out to the open position.
 4. Foodprocessing appliance according to claim 3, wherein the rounded frontwall (72) of the drawer has in its upper part a central aperture (79)and the corresponding part of the base (20) has a projection (80) whichfits in said aperture when the drawer (71) is in the closed pushed-inposition, the front wall (72) further comprising under said aperture agripping recess (81) for facilitating opening of the drawer, arranged soa user can grip said recess (81) while pushing against said projection(80) to pull the drawer out.
 5. Food processing appliance according toclaim 3, wherein the bottom of the motor compartment (60) comprises acage (85) under the motor shaft (29), the lower central part (78) of thedrawer's rear wall (75) sliding under said cage (85) when the drawer(71) is moved to and from its closed position.
 6. Food processingappliance according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the base(20)receiving the upper part of the drawer (71) has a central downwardprojection (82) flanked by upwardly-extending apertures (83), arrangedso that when the drawer (71) is pushed in or out the narrow end part(16) of a stored generally-conical support (15) passes under saiddownward projection (82) whereas the tools laterally and upwardlyprojecting arm(s) (25) pass through the upwardly-extending apertures. 7.Food processing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the movableclosure member (71) is a door hinged to the base.
 8. Food processingappliance according to claim 1, which includes two tool supportassemblies (2) having essentially identical conical supports (15)carrying different tools (24).
 9. Food processing appliance according toclaim 8, wherein the tools (24) of the two assemblies (2) each have aplurality of laterally-projecting angulated tool arms (25), the arms ofone tool having smooth edges, the arms of the other tool including atleast one serrated edge.
 10. Food processing appliance according toclaim 1, comprising a tool support assembly (2) having two A pairs oflaterally-projecting angulated tool arms in cruciform arrangement, afirst pair of opposing arms (25) projecting upwardly from the narrow endpart (16), and a second pair of opposing arms (25′) projectingdownwardly from the narrow end part (16).
 11. Food processing applianceaccording to claim 1, wherein the tool support assembly (2) is removablyattached to the container (22) by locking means (3,11) actuable toinstall or remove a tool support assembly (2) only when the container(22) is removed from the base (20).